لَهُfor him شُغُلٌa preoccupation عَنْaway from سُؤَالِquestioning الطَّلَلْthe ruined campsite
لَهُ شُغُلٌ عَنْ سُؤَالِ الطَّلَلْ
أَقَامَdid they remain? الخَلِيْطُthe companions بِهِat it أَمْor رَحَلْdeparted
أَقَامَ الخَلِيْطُ بِهِ أَمْ رَحَلْ
He is too preoccupied to question the ruined campsite:
did the companions remain there, or depart?
فَمَاso not تَطَّبِيْهِentice him لَحَاظُglances الظِّبَاءِof the gazelles
فَمَا تَطَّبِيْهِ لَحَاظُ الظِّبَاءِ
تَطَالِعُهُlook out at him مِنْfrom سُجُوفِcurtains الكِلَلْof the bed canopies
تَطَالِعُهُ مِنْ سُجُوفِ الكِلَلْ
The gazelles' glances no longer entice him,
looking out at him through the curtains of canopied beds.
وَلاَnor يَسْتَفِرُّunsettle حِجَاهُhis reason الخُدُودُthe cheeks
وَلاَ يَسْتَفِرُّ حِجَاهُ الخُدُودُ
عَصْفَرَهُنَّdyed them safflower-red احْمِرَارُthe redness الخَجَلْof bashfulness
عَصْفَرَهُنَّ احْمِرَارُ الخَجَلْ
Nor do cheeks unsettle his reason,
dyed safflower-red by modesty's blush.
كَفَاهُenough for him كَفَاهُenough for him فَلاَso do not تَعْذِلاَهُreproach him, you two
كَفَاهُ كَفَاهُ فَلاَ تَعْذِلاَهُ
كَرُّthe turning الجَدِيْدَيْنِof night and day كَرُّthe winding الغَزَلْof yarn
كَرُّ الجَدِيْدَيْنِ كَرُّ الغَزَلْ
Enough, enough for him—do not reproach him, you two:
the turning of night and day, like the winding of yarn,
طَوَىfolded away الغَيَّwaywardness مُنْتَشِرَاًspread out فِيin ذُرَاهُhis crown
طَوَى الغَيَّ مُنْتَشِرَاً فِي ذُرَاهُ
فَأَطْفَاand so quenched الصَّبَابَةَpassionate longing لَمَّاwhen اشْتَعَلْblazed
فَأَطْفَا الصَّبَابَةَ لَمَّا اشْتَعَلْ
has folded away the folly spread across his crown,
and quenched his yearning when it flared.
لَهُhe has فِيin البُكَاءِweeping عَلَىfor الطَّاهِرِيْنَthe pure ones
لَهُ فِي البُكَاءِ عَلَى الطَّاهِرِيْنَ
مَنْدُوحَةًample scope عَنْaway from بُكَاءِweeping الطَّلَلْthe ruined campsite
مَنْدُوحَةً عَنْ بُكَاءِ الطَّلَلْ
In weeping for the pure ones, he has
ample scope to forgo weeping over the ruined campsite.
فَكَمْfor how many فِيْهِمُamong them مِنْof هِلاَلٍa crescent moon هَوَىfell
فَكَمْ فِيْهِمُ مِنْ هِلاَلٍ هَوَى
قُبَيْلَjust before التَّمَامِfullness وَبَدْرٍand a full moon أَفَلْset
قُبَيْلَ التَّمَامِ وَبَدْرٍ أَفَلْ
How many a crescent among them has fallen
just before fullness, and how many a full moon has set!
لَهُمْtheirs is حُجَّةُproof اللَّهِGod's يَوْمَon the Day المَعَادِof Return
لَهُمْ حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ المَعَادِ
لِلنَّاصِرِيْنَfor the supporters عَلَىagainst مَنْwhoever خَذَلْforsook
لِلنَّاصِرِيْنَ عَلَى مَنْ خَذَلْ
Theirs is God's proof on the Day of Return,
for their supporters against those who forsook them,
وَمَنْand whoever أَنْزَلَrevealed اللَّهِGod تَفْضِيْلَهُمْtheir preeminence
وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهِ تَفْضِيْلَهُمْ
فَرَدَّthen threw back عَلَىat اللَّهِGod مَاwhat قَدْalready نَزَلْcame down
فَرَدَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا قَدْ نَزَلْ
and whoever, when God revealed their preeminence,
threw back at God what had been revealed.
فَجَدُّهُمُfor their grandfather خَاتَمُthe Seal الأَنْبِيَاءِof the prophets
فَجَدُّهُمُ خَاتَمُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ
يَعْرِفُknows ذَاكَthat جَمِيْعُall المِلَلْreligious communities
يَعْرِفُ ذَاكَ جَمِيْعُ المِلَلْ
For their grandfather is the Seal of the Prophets;
all religious communities know this.
وَوَالِدُهُمْand their father سَيِّدُthe master الأَوْصِيَاءِof the appointed successors
وَوَالِدُهُمْ سَيِّدُ الأَوْصِيَاءِ
وَمُعْطِيand giver to الفَقِيْرِthe poor وَمُرْدِيand slayer of البَطَلْthe champion
وَمُعْطِي الفَقِيْرِ وَمُرْدِي البَطَلْ
And their father is the master of the appointed successors,
giver to the poor and slayer of champions;
وَمَنْand he who عَلَّمَtaught السُّمْرَthe tawny spears طَعْنَpiercing الكُلَىthe kidneys
وَمَنْ عَلَّمَ السُّمْرَ طَعْنَ الكُلَى
لَدَىamid الرَّوْعِbattle's terror والبِيْضَand the bright swords ضَرْبَstriking القُلَلْheads
لَدَى الرَّوْعِ والبِيْضَ ضَرْبَ القُلَلْ
he who taught tawny spears to pierce kidneys
amid battle's terror, and bright swords to strike heads.
وَلَوْeven if زَالَتِshifted الأَرْضُthe earth يَوْمَon the day الهِيَاجِof battle
وَلَوْ زَالَتِ الأَرْضُ يَوْمَ الهِيَاجِ
مِنْfrom تَحْتِbeneath أَخْمَصِهِthe hollow of his foot لَمْdid not يَزُلْmove
مِنْ تَحْتِ أَخْمَصِهِ لَمْ يَزُلْ
Had the earth, on the day of battle, shifted
beneath the hollow of his foot, he would not have moved.
وَمَنْand he who صَدَّturned away عَنْfrom وَجْهِthe face دُنْيَاهُمُof their world
وَمَنْ صَدَّ عَنْ وَجْهِ دُنْيَاهُمُ
وَقَدْthough already لَبِسَتْit had donned حَلْيَهَاits jewelry والحُلَلْand robes
وَقَدْ لَبِسَتْ حَلْيَهَا والحُلَلْ
And he who turned away from the face of their world,
though it had donned its jewels and robes.
وَكَانَand he was إِذَاwhen مَاever أَضَافُواthey compared إِلَيْهِto him
وَكَانَ إِذَا مَا أَضَافُوا إِلَيْهِ
أَرْفَعَهُمْtheir highest رُتْبَةًin rank فِيin مَثَلْcomparison
أَرْفَعَهُمْ رُتْبَةً فِي مَثَلْ
Whenever they set beside him
the highest-ranking among them in comparison,
سَمَاءًa sky أَضَفْتَyou set إِلَيْهِbeside him الحَضِيْضَthe lowest ground
سَمَاءً أَضَفْتَ إِلَيْهِ الحَضِيْضَ
وَبَحْرَاًand a sea قَرَنْتَyou paired إِلَيْهِwith him الوَشَلْthe trickle
وَبَحْرَاً قَرَنْتَ إِلَيْهِ الوَشَلْ
he was a sky beside which you set the lowest ground,
and an ocean beside which you placed a trickle,
بِحُودٍwith generosity تَعَلَّمَlearned مِنْهُfrom him السَّحَابُthe clouds
بِحُودٍ تَعَلَّمَ مِنْهُ السَّحَابُ
وَحِلْمٍand forbearance تَوَلَّدَwas born مِنْهُfrom it الجَبَلْthe mountain
وَحِلْمٍ تَوَلَّدَ مِنْهُ الجَبَلْ
with generosity from which the clouds learned,
and forbearance from which the mountain was born.
فَكَمْhow many شُبَهٍdoubts بِهُدَاهُthrough his guidance جَلاَhe cleared away
فَكَمْ شُبَهٍ بِهُدَاهُ جَلاَ
وَكَمْand how many حُجَّةٍan argument بِحِجَاهُwith his wisdom فَصَلْhe settled
وَكَمْ حُجَّةٍ بِحِجَاهُ فَصَلْ
How many doubts he cleared away through his guidance,
and how many arguments he settled with his wisdom!
وَمَنْand the one أَطْفَأَextinguished اللَّهُGod نَارَthe fire الضَّلاَلِof error
وَمَنْ أَطْفَأَ اللَّهُ نَارَ الضَّلاَلِ
بِهِthrough him وَهْيَwhile it تَرْمِيhurls الهُدَىguidance بِالشُّعَلْwith flames
بِهِ وَهْيَ تَرْمِي الهُدَى بِالشُّعَلْ
And he—God quenched the fire of error
through him, while it hurled flames at guidance.
وَمَنْand the one رَدَّbrought back خَالِقُنَاour Creator شَمْسَهُHis sun
وَمَنْ رَدَّ خَالِقُنَا شَمْسَهُ
عَلَيْهِfor him وَقَدْthough already جَنَحَتْit had inclined لِلطُّفَلِtoward dusk
عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ جَنَحَتْ لِلطُّفَلِ
And he for whom our Creator brought back His sun,
when it had already inclined toward dusk.
وَلَوْeven if لَمْhad not تَعُدْreturned كَانَthere was فِيin رَأْيَهِhis judgment
وَلَوْ لَمْ تَعُدْ كَانَ فِي رَأْيَهِ
وَفِيand in وَجْهِهِhis face مِنْof سَنَاهَاits radiance بَدَلْa substitute
وَفِي وَجْهِهِ مِنْ سَنَاهَا بَدَلْ
Had it not returned, there was in his judgment
and in his face a substitute for its radiance.
وَمَنْand he who ضَرَبَstruck النَّاسَthe people بِالمُرْهَفَاتِwith keen-edged swords
وَمَنْ ضَرَبَ النَّاسَ بِالمُرْهَفَاتِ
عَلَىfor الدِّيْنِthe faith ضَرْبَthe beating of غِرَابِa stray among الإِبِلْthe camels
عَلَى الدِّيْنِ ضَرْبَ غِرَابِ الإِبِلْ
And he who struck men with keen-edged swords
for the faith, as one beats a stray camel.
وَقَدْand indeed عَلِمُواthey knew أَنَّthat يَوْمَthe Day الغَدِيْرِof Ghadir
وَقَدْ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ يَوْمَ الغَدِيْرِ
بِغَدْرِهِمُthrough their treachery جَرَّbrought on يَوْمَthe Day الجَمَلْof the Camel
بِغَدْرِهِمُ جَرَّ يَوْمَ الجَمَلْ
They knew that the Day of Ghadir,
through their treachery, brought on the Day of the Camel.
فَيَاso O مَعْشَرَcompany الظَّالِمِيْنَof wrongdoers الَّذِيwho
فَيَا مَعْشَرَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ الَّذِي
أَذَاقُواmade taste النَّبِيَّthe Prophet مَضِيْضَthe searing pain الثُّكُلْof bereavement
أَذَاقُوا النَّبِيَّ مَضِيْضَ الثُّكُلْ
O company of wrongdoers who
made the Prophet taste bereavement's searing pain!
أَفِيis it in حُكْمِكُمْyour judgment أَنَّthat مَفْضُولَكُمْyour inferior
أَفِي حُكْمِكُمْ أَنَّ مَفْضُولَكُمْ
يَؤُمُleads نَقِيْصَتَهُhis deficiency مَنْone who فَضَلْexcelled
يَؤُمُ نَقِيْصَتَهُ مَنْ فَضَلْ
Is it your judgment that the inferior among you
should, despite his deficiency, lead one who excelled?
فإنfor if كانwas منthe one whom تزعمونyou claim هداهhis guidance
فإن كان من تزعمون هداه
إماماًan imam فذلكthen that خطبan affair جللgrave
إماماً فذلك خطب جلل
For if the man you claim to be rightly guided
was an imam, that is a grave affair.
فَإِنْfor if خَرَجَcame out المُصْطَفَىthe Chosen One حَافِيَاًbarefoot
فَإِنْ خَرَجَ المُصْطَفَى حَافِيَاً
تَمِيْلُsway بِهِhim سَكَرَاتُstupors العِلَلْof illnesses
تَمِيْلُ بِهِ سَكَرَاتُ العِلَلْ
For if the Chosen One came out barefoot,
the stupors of illness making him sway,
فَنَحَّاهُthen he removed him عَنْfrom ظِلُthe shade مِحْرَابِهِof his prayer niche
فَنَحَّاهُ عَنْ ظِلُ مِحْرَابِهِ
وَنَادَاهُand called to him مُنْتَهِرَاًrebuking لاَdo not تُصَلْpray
وَنَادَاهُ مُنْتَهِرَاً لاَ تُصَلْ
he removed him from the shade of his prayer niche,
and called to him in rebuke: 'Do not pray!'
فَلَوْلاَhad it not been for تَتَابُعُهُمْtheir following one another فِيin الضَّلاَلِerror
فَلَوْلاَ تَتَابُعُهُمْ فِي الضَّلاَلِ
لَمَاthen not كَانَwould have يَطْمَعُaspired فِيْمَاto what فَعَلْhe did
لَمَا كَانَ يَطْمَعُ فِيْمَا فَعَلْ
Had they not followed one another in error,
he would not have aspired to what he did.
كَأَنْكُمُas though you حِيْنَwhen قَلَّدْتُمُوهُyou invested him with authority
كَأَنْكُمُ حِيْنَ قَلَّدْتُمُوهُ
نَصَبْتُمْyou set up أَسَافَIsaf بِهِin him أَوْor هُبَلْHubal
نَصَبْتُمْ أَسَافَ بِهِ أَوْ هُبَلْ
It is as though, when you invested him with authority,
you set up Isaf in him, or Hubal.
فَيَاso O لَكَfor you مِنْof بَاطِلٍfalsehood بِالْمُحَالِthrough absurdity
فَيَا لَكَ مِنْ بَاطِلٍ بِالْمُحَالِ
تَمَّwas completed وَيَاand O لَكَfor you حَقَّاًa truth بَطَلْwas annulled
تَمَّ وَيَا لَكَ حَقَّاً بَطَلْ
Oh, what a falsehood, through absurdity
made complete—and what a truth annulled!
عَدَلْتُمْyou diverted بِهَاwith it عَنْaway from إِمَامthe Imam الهُدَىof guidance
عَدَلْتُمْ بِهَا عَنْ إِمَام الهُدَى
فَلاَso may not عَدَلَturn aside اللَّعْنُthe curse عَمَّنْfrom whoever عَدَلْturned aside
فَلاَ عَدَلَ اللَّعْنُ عَمَّنْ عَدَلْ
You turned it away from the Imam of guidance;
may the curse never turn away from those who turned aside!
فَمَاso not جَاءَنَاcame to us مَاwhat جِئْتُمُونَاyou came to us بِهِwith it
فَمَا جَاءَنَا مَا جِئْتُمُونَا بِهِ
مِنَof الظُّلْمِinjustice أَعْمَىthe blindest of القُرُونَthe generations الأُوَلْthe earliest
مِنَ الظُّلْمِ أَعْمَى القُرُونَ الأُوَلْ
None brought us what you have brought us
of injustice—not even the blindest of the earliest generations.
يُخَالِفُكُمْcontradicts you فِيْهِin it نَصُّthe explicit text الكِتَابِof the Book
يُخَالِفُكُمْ فِيْهِ نَصُّ الكِتَابِ
وَمَاand what نَصَّdeclared explicitly فِيabout ذَاكَthat خَيْرُthe best الرُّسُلْof the messengers
وَمَا نَصَّ فِي ذَاكَ خَيْرُ الرُّسُلْ
The Book's explicit text contradicts you in this,
as does what the best of messengers expressly declared.
نَبَذْتُمْyou cast aside وَصِيَّتَهُhis testament بِالْعَرَاءِinto the open wilderness
نَبَذْتُمْ وَصِيَّتَهُ بِالْعَرَاءِ
وَقُلْتُمْand you said عَلَيْهِabout him الَّذِيwhat لَمْdid not يَقُلْhe say
وَقُلْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَقُلْ
You cast his testament into the wilderness,
and attributed to him what he never said.
اتَخِذْتُمْyou made بِذَاكَby that البَرَايَاhumankind خَوَلءservants
اتَخِذْتُمْ بِذَاكَ البَرَايَا خَوَلء
وَدُنْيَاand a world تَفَرَّقْتُمُوهَاyou divided it among yourselves دُوَلْcirculating shares
وَدُنْيَا تَفَرَّقْتُمُوهَا دُوَلْ
By that you made humankind your servants,
and divided the world among yourselves as spoils.
لَقَدْindeed طَمَسَobliterated الْغَيُّerror أَبْصَارَكُمْyour sight
لَقَدْ طَمَسَ الْغَيُّ أَبْصَارَكُمْ
وَضَلَّand led astray بِكُمْyou عَنْfrom سَوَاءِthe straight course السُّبُلْof the paths
وَضَلَّ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَوَاءِ السُّبُلْ
Error has indeed blotted out your sight
and led you astray from the straight course of the paths.
أَيْمنَعُdoes he deny? فَاطِمَةًFatima حَقَّهَاher right
أَيْمنَعُ فَاطِمَةً حَقَّهَا
ظَلُومٌa great oppressor غَشُومٌruthless زَنِيْمٌbaseborn عُتُلْbrutish
ظَلُومٌ غَشُومٌ زَنِيْمٌ عُتُلْ
Is Fatima denied her right
by an oppressor, ruthless, baseborn, and brutish?
وَتُرْدِيand slay الحُسَيْنَHusayn سُيُوفُthe swords الطُّغَاةِof the tyrants
وَتُرْدِي الحُسَيْنَ سُيُوفُ الطُّغَاةِ
ظَمْآنَthirsting لَمْdid not يُطْفِquench حَرَّthe heat الغُلَلْof burning thirst
ظَمْآنَ لَمْ يُطْفِ حَرَّ الغُلَلْ
And do the tyrants' swords slay Husayn,
thirsting, without quenching the heat of his thirst?
يَرِيhe burns عَطَشاًwith thirst وَتَنَالُwhile obtain الرِّمَاحُthe spears
يَرِي عَطَشاً وَتَنَالُ الرِّمَاحُ
مِنْfrom دَمِهِhis blood عَلَّهَاtheir second draught وَالنَّهَلْand the first draught
مِنْ دَمِهِ عَلَّهَا وَالنَّهَلْ
He burns with thirst, while the spears take
from his blood their second draught and their first.
فلمyet did not يخسفcause the earth to cave in اللهGod بالظالمينbeneath the wrongdoers
فلم يخسف الله بالظالمين
ولكنهbut He لاdoes not يخافfear العجلhaste
ولكنه لا يخاف العجل
Yet God did not make the earth swallow the wrongdoers,
but He does not fear haste.
لَقَدْindeed نَشِطَتْbecame eager لِعِنَادِto defy الرَّسُولِthe Messenger
لَقَدْ نَشِطَتْ لِعِنَادِ الرَّسُولِ
رِجَالٌmen بِهَاin them عَنْtoward هُدَاهَاtheir guidance كَسَلْsloth
رِجَالٌ بِهَا عَنْ هُدَاهَا كَسَلْ
Eager indeed to defy the Messenger were
men too slothful to follow their own guidance.
فَلاَso may not بُوعِدَتْbe kept far أَعْيُنٌeyes مِنْfrom عَمَىblindness
فَلاَ بُوعِدَتْ أَعْيُنٌ مِنْ عَمَى
وَلاَnor عُوفِيَتْbe healed أَذْرُعٌarms مِنْof شَلَلْparalysis
وَلاَ عُوفِيَتْ أَذْرُعٌ مِنْ شَلَلْ
Then may no eyes be spared blindness,
nor any arms be healed of paralysis!
نَظَارِwait! فَإِنَّfor indeed بَنَاتِthe daughters النَّبِيِّof the Prophet السَّthe cap-
نَظَارِ فَإِنَّ بَنَاتِ النَّبِيِّ السَّ
بَايَا-tives وَمَالَand the wealth النَّبِيِّof the Prophet النَّفَلْthe booty
بَايَا وَمَالَ النَّبِيِّ النَّفَلْ
Wait! For the Prophet's daughters are
captives, and the Prophet's wealth is booty.
غَداًtomorrow يَتَوَلَّىwill undertake الإِلهُGod الجِدَالَthe disputation
غَداً يَتَوَلَّى الإِلهُ الجِدَالَ
إِنْif كُنْتُمُyou are مِنْamong رِجَالِmen الجَدَلْof disputation
إِنْ كُنْتُمُ مِنْ رِجَالِ الجَدَلْ
Tomorrow God will take up the dispute,
if you are men of disputation.
فَيُعْلَمthen it will be known مَنْwho فِيin ظِلاَلِthe shade النَّعِيْمِof bliss
فَيُعْلَم مَنْ فِي ظِلاَلِ النَّعِيْمِ
ومنand who فيin الجحيمHell عليهover him ظللcanopies
ومن في الجحيم عليه ظلل
Then it will be known who is in the shade of bliss,
and who is in Hell, with canopies over him.
أياO ربLord وقفgrant success لخيرin the best of المقالspeech
أيا رب وقف لخير المقال
إِنْif لَمْnot أُوَفَّقْI am granted success لِخَيْرِin the best of العَمَلْdeeds
إِنْ لَمْ أُوَفَّقْ لِخَيْرِ العَمَلْ
O Lord, grant me success in the best of speech,
if I am not granted success in the best of deeds.
وَلاَand do not تَقْطَعَنْever cut off أَمَلِيmy hope والرَّجَاءَand expectation
وَلاَ تَقْطَعَنْ أَمَلِي والرَّجَاءَ
فَأَنْتَfor You الرَّجَاءُexpectation وَأَنْتَand You الأَمَلْhope
فَأَنْتَ الرَّجَاءُ وَأَنْتَ الأَمَلْ
Do not cut off my hope and expectation,
for You are my expectation, and You are my hope.
Sol 6.1